Dovahsebrom
by SilentRanger777
Summary: Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu Ysmir Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok. As the mountain shook at those words, he realized that he had changed. No longer was he just Jayson Halfelven, he was Jayson Halfelven, the dragon of the north. Current Arc: A Dragon's Call
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Elder scrolls series, just my ideas.**

* * *

When mercenary work didn't pay the bills, Jenassa turned to hunting to make ends meet. The dark elf usually hunted in the plains near Whiterun, but today she was farther south in Falkreath Hold. It had been a good hunt; she had bagged several deer and other animals. She went into a nearby town to sell what she had gotten. After she sold the pelts, she went to the inn to get a drink. She always liked Vilod's mead; the juniper berries he added made it all the tastier. Once she finished her drink, she stepped outside.

"You need to go inside, little cub." A man told his son.

"Why? I wanna watch the soldiers."

"Get inside the house, now."

"Yes pa."

Wondering why the child had been shoed inside, Jenassa turned to see several wagons drive up, carrying what seemed to be stormcloak prisoners.

"Step towards the block when they call your name! One at a time!" Yelled an imperial captain.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, jarl of Windhelm." Called an imperial soldier. Obvious hate crossed Jenassa's face. She was glad that murderer would finally be put down. Another name was called, one more Stormcloak walked towards the block.

"Lokir of Rorikstead."

"No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" cried the prisoner in rags. Suddenly, he bolted, only to be filled with arrows seconds later.

"Anyone else feel like running?" Demanded the captain. Wisely, no one answered.

"You there, step forward." A prisoner Jenassa hadn't seen before moved forward. Like the prisoner before him, he was in rags. Unlike Lokir though, he was more muscular, evidence of a veteran warrior. The one thing that stood out though was his eyes. When Jenassa first noticed she gasped lightly in surprise. Where the pupils, iris, and whites of the eyes should have been, there was nothing but black. "Who are you?" The soldier asked. The prisoner straightened, bringing himself to his full height.

"Jayson Halfelven, Legionnaire of the sixth cohort. I was sent by Titus Mede II to support General Tullius in suppressing the rebellion."

The captain and the soldier stared in surprised silence. General Tullius, who overheard the declaration, walked over. He looked the man over critically before speaking.

"Can you prove your claim?" He asked the prisoner.

"My orders were on me, but my belongings were taken from me when you captured me."

Tullius turned to a nearby soldier. "Bring his belongings immediately." The soldier quickly obeyed; soon the man's few belongings were brought. Among them was a paper with an official looking seal. After reading the paper, Tullius ordered the man to be released.

"Where's the rest of your company soldier?" Tullius asked as Jayson's bonds were cut.

"We were ambused at the border by him." He gestured to Ulfric. "I have been chasing him down since, that is why I walked into that ambush along with him.

"And your imperial armor?"

"Ditched it in order to chase him easier."

"Very well, let's get on with this then."

"Gladly, sir." Jayson smiled for a moment, than gathered his things. There wasn't much, Jenassa noticed, but one thing caught her attention. The man's sword was old looking, like something out of the first era. The blade was blood red , and the handle depicted a dragon in flight, breathing flames. The wings acted as the handguards, Jenassa also noticed that there was no sheath for the blade. Once he had finished adjusting his sword onto his belt he looked up. Their eyes locked for a moment, though it was a little hard to tell since his eyes were completely black. She couldn't explain it, but she almost felt his eyes on her. Jayson's attention was diverted when the priest who had been giving the prisoners their last rites was interrupted when a stormcloak told her to shut up and get on with the execution. The rebel stepped up to the block and was the first to get the chop.

"Next prisoner!" The captain yelled, but as she did a roar tore through the sky. Everyone looked around for the source. Another roar filled the air and a black shadow fell over the village. Then, it landed on a nearby watchtower. It was as black as night with blood red eyes, and scales covering its entire body.

"Dragon!" Someone screamed. The dragon let out a roar and a once clear sky turned into an unearthly storm.

"Guards, get the townspeople to safety!" Tullius yelled as he drew his sword. Huge boulders fell from the sky, smashing into the village. The dragon turned its attention to a solitary figure staring up at it, bow in hand, Jayson. He let an arrow fly, but it just bounced of the dragon's natural armor.

"Fus ro dah!" The words leapt from the dragon's mouth in a blue wave that slammed into Jayson, sending him flying several yards before slamming into a ruined building. The dragon leapt from its perch to slaughter the rest of the towns brave defenders. All of this happened in a few seconds and before Jenassa could register any of it a rock missile hurled into the building she was standing by, collapsing it. Part of it fell on top of her trapping her lower body beneath it. Try as she might, she couldn't get up. Panicking, she yelled for help. As she did, Jayson's body stirred. Slowly, he lifted himself up. He looked around at the devastation of the village in a daze. Another roar snapped him out of it though. Looking around, he saw Jenassa trapped under the rubble. Quickly, he bolted towards her. With great effort he lifted the rubble off of her, allowing her to crawl out.

"Come on!" he yelled as he helped her to her feet. "We need to get out of here!"

"No! Really?" She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Follow me!" He shouted to her as he ran. As she tried to follow she stumbled to the ground, pain searing through her right leg.

"Jayson!" she called out desperately. He turned to see her predicament. Without a seconds hesitation he ran over, picked her up and began carrying her bridal style. As he carried her in his arms, They ran into the soldier who had called role, who was now calling to a boy from behind a building.

"Haming! You need to get over here, now!" Following Hadvar's command, the boy left the body of his father and rushed to Hadvar. "That a'boy." Suddenly, the black dragon landed right next to the body of the dying man. "Torolf!" The soldier yelled before the dragon burnt the poor man to a crisp then flew back into the air. The soldier then noticed them for the first time.

"Still alive? Let's stick together and maybe we'll all stay that way."

"Well then, lead the way!" Jayson answered.

"Gunmar! Take care of the boy!" The soldier told an older man nearby.

"Gods guide you, Hadvar." The old man said as they left. Hadvar led Jayson and Jenassa towards the gate, where Tullius and his men were making their final stand.

"Into the keep soldiers! We're leaving!" Tullius ordered them as they arrived. As they rushed for the keep, Jenassa suddenly felt very tired and against her will, she lost consciousness in Jayson's arms.

* * *

"Will she make it?" Came a voice in her mind.

"I think so, I've managed to heal her leg, but I can't seem to wake her up."

Realizing the voices were real, she forced herself to wake and open her eyes. When she did Jayson was leaning over her, casting a healing spell, while Hadvar stood nearby the sky. They were outside the entrance of a nearby cave. Instead of in rags, Jayson was now in full imperial armor, his sword dangling from his side. When Jayson saw she was awake he smiled at her.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." He said as he slowly helped her to her feet. When she stood she felt no pain in her leg, looking down she saw that it was completely healed.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You lost consciousness." Hadvar stated flatly.

"We got to the keep, and through a series of misadventures escaped. Though were not sure if anyone else made it out."Jayson explained.

"Oh," She thought about the people in the village, she hoped that some of them had made it out. "What will we do now?"

"The closest town from here is Riverwood, my uncle is the blacksmith there, I'm sure he'll help us out." Hadvar suggested.

"Sounds good, after that though, one of us needs to report in to Solitude, they need to know what happened."

"Agreed, I'll go on ahead to Riverwood. You two will follow in later; we'll attract less attention that way."

"Good luck." Jayson told Hadvar as he left.

"Looks like we're taking the scenic route, huh?" Jenassa said.

"Probably, hey, I never did get your name."

"My name is Jenassa, you're Jayson right?"

"Yep, that's me. Nice to meet you." With introductions out of the way, the pair walked down the path, in the general direction of Riverwood.

* * *

**A/N: As promised, here's my newest Fanfic, Dovahsebrom. Hope you enjoy it. I decided to change up some details a bit, as you've probably noticed. I won't be changing any major plot details hopefully. Also, I don't want any flaming about the main character being with the empire, nor do I want any empire v. stormcloak jazz either. Let's all just get along for the sake of the story. Reviews are appreciated, there the only way for me to know how I'm doing, don't forget to 'like' the story.**

**Characters and such**

**Jenassa: A young female dark elf mercenary trying to eke out a living in Skyrim.**

**Jayson Halfelven: As you've probably guessed, he's the dragonborn hero of this story.**

**Hadvar: Nord soldier in the imperial army.**

**Tullius: General of the imperial army in Skyrim.**

**Ulfric Stormcloak: Leader of the stormcloak rebellion. Murdered the high king.**

** Dovahsebrom: Some of your are probably wondering what the title of the story means. it means 'Dragon of the North'**


	2. A Dragon's Call Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim, just my own ideas.**

* * *

**Riverwood Trials**

As they began to walk, the first thing either of them felt was hunger.

"I might be able to hunt something." Jayson said as he unshouldered his bow.

"I can hunt too ya know," Jenassa said indignantly. "I've lived, and am living, a mercenary life."

"I figured as much." Jayson answered without a backwards glance. "You're armor, weapons, and even the way you walk are obvious indications you're not just some man's kitchen maid."

"Nice that someone realizes that."

"I've been around all different kinds of people, so I'm pretty good at…" He stopped and signaled Jenassa to do so as well. Carefully, he moved forward. They were on top of a small ridge, overlooking a small camp.

"What is it?" She asked as she unshouldered her own bow.

"Bandits, three of them, probably make their living waylaying travelers."

"I can get a good shot from here." She said in a whisper as she summed the situation up at a glance. "You can sneak up and get a shot from that cluster of trees over there."

"Fine, I'll sneak over. After I launch my first arrow, you follow, ok?"

"Ok."

Stealthily, Jayson crawled towards the trees. Jenassa admired how he seemed to easily move so quietly. When he reached the trees he rose to his knees and notched an arrow to his longbow, then released. The arrow flew true and imbedded itself in a bandit's chest. Before the other two realized what had just happened an arrow from Jenassa sprouted from another bandit. The last bandit tried to escape but got an arrow from each of the archers. The bandits now dead, the team went down to investigate the camp. Besides a few coins and weapons that they could sell, nothing of value was in the camp. As Jayson searched one of the bandits, he found a small handwritten map in the dead man's pocket.

"What's that?" Jenassa asked when she noticed Jayson looking at the piece of paper intently.

"The bandit's cache, we'll look into that later, but first…" he said as he stuffed the map in his own pocket. "I'm hungry and these bandits were just cooking lunch. Since they won't need it any longer, I say we help ourselves."

"Good idea." With that, Jenassa began roasting some meat that the bandits had had over the fire. Jayson scraped up what he could and between them, they had a decent lunch. By the time they began walking again it was late in the afternoon. They stopped by three standing stones that were by the road and touched one each. Jayson touched the warrior stone, and Jennassa the thief. A little more walking and they reached a point where the road split. Curious, they went up the less used one. As they walked the path they reached the entrance of an old mine. Unfortunately, it was guarded by a bandit.

"Leave, if you know what's good for you." The bandit said as he waved his axe about menacingly. Jayson continued to walk forward. "I said, shove off!" Jayson continued towards the bandit, drawing his sword as he came closer. The bandit suddenly became less sure of himself. The man in front of him was holding his blood red sword as if he knew how to use it properly. "I know you heard me! Beat it before I…" He got no further before Jayson swung his sword. The bandit managed to block the first strike, but he didn't even see the second stroke, the one that cut his head off. Stopping only briefly to wipe the blood off his blade, the pair continued into the mine. The mine afterwards would be a grim sight. Almost none of the bandits saw what had killed them. Their bodies lie strewn about, arrows in them a firm testament to the grim efficiency of the pair. There was only evidence of one short scuffle, and the three losers lie dead in pools of their own blood. At the back exit of the cave, the two took deep breaths of the fresh air. Evening was setting in; the sky would soon turn dark.

"Look!" Jenassa pointed, "There's Riverwood." The village walls were just visible through the trees.

"Hadvar's probably wondering where we are, best not keep him waiting too much longer."

After a short walk, they reached the town, the sun now setting on the horizon. Waiting on the porch of the blacksmith's house was Hadvar.

"Glad to see you guys finally made it, where were you?"

"Can we go inside first and eat? I hate telling stories on an empty stomach." Both Jenassa and Hadvar laughed at Jayson's response. Hadvar motioned for them to follow him in. once they entered they were introduced to his aunt, uncle, and cousin.

"We can't thank you enough for helping Hadvar get out of Helgen." His Aunt Sigrid told them as Jayson and Jenassa ate.

"Any decent person would have done the same." Jayson replied between bites. "And I couldn't leave a fellow soldier behind like that. It was nothing."

"All the same, we thank you. You can stay here as long as you need." His Uncle Alvor told them.

"Thank you, you're too kind." Jenassa thanked them. She was glad for their hospitality. Too often the nords of Skyrim hated or distrusted anyone who wasn't a fellow nord, But Hadvar's family treated her as if they were no different than them.

Hadvar's young cousin, Dorthe, constantly asked them questions. 'Did you really see a dragon' 'What did it look like?' Some of the questions they answered, others they didn't. After a time, Dorthe was sitting on Jayson's lap as he told a funny story, as if the dragon at Helgen had never happened. Everyone laughed at his hilarious misadventures. As the night grew older, Dorthe refused to go to bed, wanting to stay up and hear another story. Then, Jayson began quietly singing. His voice was strong, yet beautiful as the words of the well know song came softly from him.

_Our hero, our hero, claims a warrior's heart.  
I tell you, I tell you, the Dragonborn comes.  
With a voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art,  
Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes.  
It's an end to the evil, of all Skyrim's foes.  
Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes.  
For the darkness has passed, and the legend yet grows,  
You'll know, you'll know the Dragonborns come._

The room was quiet, Dorthe asleep on his lap. Carefully he placed her in her bed, and then sat back down near the fire. Speaking in hushed voices, the topic turned to the apparent danger at hand.

"Riverwood is defenseless against a dragon." Hadvar stated the obvious.

"Yes, we have no guards." Sigrid agreed.

"We need to get to Jarl Balgruuf to send whatever troops he can." Hadvar replied.

"I can journey to Whiterun at first light." Jayson volunteered. The conversation continued, but Jenassa was silent, staring into the fire. The images of the dragon attack came alive in the fire. The screams, the roaring, the death, it was all still fresh in her mind. She was so wrapped up in thought that she didn't notice that Jayson was whispering her name until he shook her shoulder.

"Jenassa!" He whispered as loud as he dared.

"Huh? Sorry, I was just thinking."

"That's understandable, what happened to Helgen is going to be hard to forget."

Jenassa looked Jayson in the eye. On the outside it hadn't seemed that the dragon attack had affected him at all.

"Do the images of the death and the people you've killed ever haunt you?" She asked him. He nodded slowly.

"Some still haunt to this day." Silence followed as they stared into the fire, wrapped up in their own thoughts. Jayson would be the first to break the silence. "I'm leaving the spoils that we took from the bandits with you." He dug into his pocket and handed her the map he had founded earlier that day. "While I'm in Whiterun you'll find the stash, and sell what you can, when I return we'll divide the gold."

"You aren't afraid I'm going to run away with the gold are you?" She gave Jayson a mischievous smile, one that Jayson returned.

"No, not really."

"How trusting of you."

"But if you do runaway, I'll find you, but I'd prefer you didn't run away, takes a lot of time tracking people down." They both laughed quietly. Jenassa noticed that everyone else had gone to sleep. She was about to suggest that they do the same when she noticed that Jayson was already asleep in his chair. Jenassa studied the sleeping man's face. It was dirty and rugged, signs of a veteran adventurer, yet it was obvious he had only reached manhood a few years ago. His coal black hair matched his unusual eyes. Oddly, Jenassa find his eyes endearing. They were mysterious, as if they hid some great secrets behind them. He was handsome, by nordish standards, or so the dark elf lady guessed. She had never been any great judge of beauty, but she had some idea what good looking was. The man was a warrior, yet he had shown kindness and easiness with children that were not often seen in a soldier. What circumstances could shape a person like him? She guessed that something had happened in his life that had forced him to grow up early. He was a great puzzle to her, and strangely, that seemed to make him all the more attractive. Before she knew what she was doing, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He stirred in his sleep, but did not move. Jenassa was surprised with herself. She had never been the one to entertain a romantic relationship. The few times she had tried it had never worked for one reason or another. She excused her actions quickly. "He's saved my life, he deserves a kiss." As she got up and walked over to an open bed, she wondered she started a relationship, would he be different.

* * *

A lone figure crouched over some tracks just outside the mine. By the tracks he could tell that two people had entered the mine, and by the headless bandit, at least one of them knew how to use as sword. The man's hood covered most of his face, his cloak made him almost invisible in the night. Slowly, the figure rose and entered the mine. He unshouldered his bow, just in case. He followed the tracks left by the two who had entered the mine. He easily deciphered the obvious and many of the more obscure signs that told the tale of the bandit hideout's demise. He nodded approvingly at how the pair was able to silently kill most of the bandits. Once he left the cave it didn't take a deep thinker to figure out where the two had gone. They would go to Riverwood to sell the spoils that they had taken. These two had piqued his curiosity; he would follow them for now. For the night he sat on a cliff overlooking the town. His position gave him a clear view of anything that happened in the village and the nearby vicinity. As he relaxed he pulled out his pipe. After placing some crushed nirnroot leaves in, he quietly smoked and contemplated the day's events.

"First a dragon tears up Helgen, now two strange vigilantes? An interesting day indeed."

* * *

**A/N: Ah, so our brave company has reached sanctuary at last. But what is the past of our two heroes? And who is this strange hooded man following them? What will happen next? You want to find out? Well, you're going to have to keep following the story to do that. See you next time! Also, don't expect all chapters to get out this quickly, I've just had a lot of spare time an my hands recently.**

**Characters and stuff**

**Alvor, Sigrid, Dorthe: Hadvar's Uncle, Aunt, and cousin**

**Nirnroot: An uncommon plant found all about Tamriel. **

**The song in this story is called 'The Dragonborn Comes'. The song belongs to Bethesda, not me. **


	3. A Dragon's Call Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ya, ya, you know what goes up here.**

* * *

**Whiterun Arrival**

Jayson woke with a start, sweat beading down his forehead. Another nightmare had come to haunt his dreams. For weeks these nightmares had repeated themselves without fail, and they never made any sense. Phantoms of his past hovered and haunted his periphial vision as the nightmares played out. Shadows of the future added to the unease. Then, at the end of the dream, the great black dragon swooped towards him. No matter how fast he ran, the dragon always caught him, and he would always wake before the dragons teeth sank into his flesh. Jayson forced himself to calm down, taking deep breaths to slow his heart rate. When he had finally relaxed he took in his surroundings. He didn't see Hadvar, Alvor, or Sigrid so he assumed they were still asleep. He saw Dorthe and Jenassa nearby, each sleeping in a bed of their own nearby. Quietly, he rose from his chair, rubbing his sore back. He found his eyes drawn to Jenassa's sleeping form. She had a pretty face that seemed forever stuck in a serious, business-like attitude. Her independent air he found attractive. He should himself out of his daydream and carefully stepped outside. A mist was rising over the river and the air was a bit nippy. He took a deep breath and sighed.

"Nothing quite like living by a river, is there?" Came a voice from beside him. Jayson turned to see Alvor standing next to him, already in his work attire.

"No, not really." Jayson agreed. Alvor smiled and motioned for Jayson to follow him. He walked to his workspace and pulled out a set of well-kept leather armor.

"Should hold together better then the stuff you got now." He told him as he handed it to him. It was true, the imperial armor he was wearing was in sad shape.

"Thank you, here, this should cover it." Jayson held out a bag of gold coins. Alvor shook his head.

"You saved Hadvar's life, you don't need to pay anything."

Jayson thanked him again then went behind the house to change into his new armor. It was comfortable and fit well, like it was made just for him. He walked back to the front of the house and bid Alvor goodbye.

"I don't suppose I could persuade you to stay for breakfast?" Alvor asked, but Jayson shook his head.

"I'll eat when I know the jarl's men are on the way." With a final wave he began running down the road towards Whiterun. The trip at first was uneventful, except for one foolish wolf, nothing hindered his journey. As he ran he thought of the city he was about to enter. In the books he had read on the land of Skyrim, Whiterun was known for two things, Dragonsreach, and Jorrvaskr, the home of the Companions. Maybe while he was in Skyrim he would join them. As he ran the grand city of Whiterun came into view. He stopped for a moment to stare at the mighty walled city, the economic heart of Skyrim. Shouts and the sounds of metal alerted him to fighting ahead. Drawing his sword, he sprinted towards the sounds. Ahead of him three people were battling a giant. As he closed the distance, a heavily armored man was knocked to the ground by the giant's club. When the giant raised his weapon for another blow, an arrow imbedded itself in its shoulder. It roared in pain and charged the archer; a beautiful red haired woman with armor that left little to the imagination. The woman easily dodged the giant's hasty strikes. A second woman struck the giant's leg, causing it to roar in pain again. The giant turned its attention to the one who cut him, that was his fatal mistake. Distracted momentarily, he didn't see Jayson coming behind him. With a cry of battle he plunged his blood red blade into the back side of the giant's knee. The ancient sword cut through the giant's kneecap like butter. The giant roared and fell to its knees. Jayson brought his sword back and cut the giant's head off. He wiped his blade on the body, then sheathed his blade. The three warriors stared at the newcomer, nodding approvingly. The red haired woman spoke first.

"You have skill with a blade."

"Yes, but I wouldn't think too much of that performance, you three did do most of the work, I just polished him off."

"Ah, a man of skill, yet not of boasting, you would do well as a Companion. I am Alea the Huntress, this is Farkas, and this is Ria, my shield-siblings."

"A pleasure to meet you all, I am Jayson."

"Likewise." Ria replied.

"Aye." Farkas concurred.

"What brings you to Whiterun outsider?" Alea inquired.

"I bring news of Helgen, and Riverwood calls for aid."

The three warriors looked at each other, then back to Jayson. Alea spoke for the three of them.

"Then you'd better come with us. The guards have been instructed not to let anyone unfamiliar in, but if you go with us they will let you through."

"Then lead the way."

True to their word the guards let him pass unhindered, then they went their separate ways.

"Come by Jorrvaskr sometime, perhaps you could become a companion." Ria said as they parted company.

"Perhaps I will." Jayson climbed the steps to Dragonsreach, the palace of Whiterun's jarl. It was large on the outside, but when he entered he was a bit blown away by the openness of it. Ahead the jarl was having an argument with what appeared to be his steward, and few other people who were present. He walked towards the jarl's throne when a dark elf drew her sword and barred his way. His hand flinched towards his own sword but he forced himself to remain calm.

"What is the meaning of this interruption?" the she asked accusingly. "The jarl isn't excepting visitors." The dark elf pressed her blade against his chest. It took everything in him not to draw his own sword. Many of the people present were beginning to talk in hushed tones and motion towards him. He couldn't hear what they were saying but he was pretty sure it had to do with his unique eyes.

"I was at Helgen." Those four words sent an immediate hush through the court. The dark elf sheathed her sword but kept her eyes locked on him suspiciously.

"The jarl will want to speak to you personally."

Jayson took a step towards the jarl, and bowed in respect.

* * *

The jarl examined the strange young man before him. The jarl himself was a man in his forties and had seen men of many stripes come and go, but this lad was different. He had the look of a person who had seen more death in his short time then most ever saw in their entire life. His sword was of odd make and his eyes were as black as night. It was his eyes that seemed to be the defining part of the young man. While one would assume someone with such eyes would be evil, or least with dark tendencies, this man seemed to be well restrained and calm, and had exhibited nothing of malice.

"So, you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?" Balgruuf had been skeptical of the reports of a dragon, but he wanted to hear what this man had to say.

"Yes jarl, it destroyed the town and flew off. I've never seen anything like it before." Whispers went through the court at the man's words. Balgruuf was visibly troubled, he was about to say something to his steward, Provencius, when the man spoke up again. "I came on behalf of Riverwood, they call for aid."

The dark elf, Irileth, nodded in agreement.

"It is in the most immediate danger."

Balgruuf considered the point for second before he answered.

"Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once."

"But Jarl Siddgeir will see that as a provocation! He will assume you are to join Ulfric's side and attack him!" Provencius argued. The jarl sighed, his steward was a good man, but he was very politically minded, and sometimes hard to work with. "We should not…"

"Enough!" Balgruuf hadn't shouted, but his voice carried a tone that told he was not to be disobeyed. "I will not stand idly by while a dragon burns my home and slaughters my people!" He said as he motioned for Irileth to go. The steward bowed his head respectfully, properly reprimanded. The jarl turned his attention to the stranger, whom he began to respect. "You sought me out, on your own initiative." The Jarl motioned to a nearby guard and whispered something in his ear. The guard nodded and rushed to do his bidding. "I notice that your bow is a bit shabby." The guard returned carrying an imperial bow, which he handed to Jayson. "This is for bringing this news to my attention."

"Thank you, my jarl." The man said as he replaced his old bow with the new one.

"What is your name and profession, boy?"

* * *

"I am Jayson Halfelven, and I do whatever needs to be done." It was a roundabout way of saying he was a sellsword, which was partly true. While he was a soldier in the imperial army, the often did side-jobs to earn extra money.

"Hmm, there is something you could help me with. Come, let's find Farengar, my court wizard, he's been looking into this dragon business." The two walked to a separate nearby room where a man in a mage robe was furiously writing on a piece of paper. "Farengar, I found someone who could help you with your dragon project."

"Ah, good." He rose from his chair and looked Jayson over. "Yes, he could probably fetch it for me." He mused aloud. "Well, when I say 'fetch', I really mean delve into a dangerous labyrinth full of traps and undead and retrieve the dragonstone from the main chamber."

"Simple enough." Jayson said as h rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Doing this would get him on good terms with Jarl Balgruuf. If he remembered correctly, from the reports he had read before he came to Skyrim, Balgruuf was neutral in the civil war. Doing this could go a long way to helping the imperial cause. "Where will I be fetching this stone from?"

"Bleak Falls Barrow, near Riverwood, the locals should be able to point you in the right direction."

"Fine, I will leave as soon as I can."

"Good," Balgruuf said as he placed a hand on Jayson's shoulder, "Do this and you will be properly rewarded.

"By your orders, Balgruuf." Jayson replied. He bowed slightly, then left. He exited Dragonsreach and headed in the direction of the tavern, he wasn't going anywhere without something to eat.

* * *

**A/N: Ah, so the adventure continues. Sorry if this chapter didn't have all the action or romance you wanted, but action is coming up in the next chapter! So be patient. Also, if you have any questions, concerns, ideas, things you want to tell your mother but are afraid to… Ha, just kidding on the last one. But one the others you can hit the review button and let me know. The only way I can improve is through feedback. See you next chapter!**

**Alea, Ria, Farkas: Members of the Companions, a group of honorable warriors for hire. They stay in their mead hall, Jorrvaskr.**

**Jarl Balgruuf: Jarl of Whiterun, an honorable man.**

**Irileth: Balgruuf's bodyguard, a bit paranoid and overprotective**

**Provencius: The Jarl's steward, a political man**

**Farengar: The court wizard**


	4. A Dragon's Call Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All credit where it's due.**

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**Queen of the Barrow**

Jenassa never put much stock in dreams, but that didn't mean they didn't disturb her sometimes. As she slept she saw battles of epic proportions, worthy of songs of their own. Each time one vision dissipated and another took its place, she would slowly begin to forget the last one she had seen. Her vision suddenly blurred as her consciousness was literally torn from her body. Her consciousness was speedily transported to the side of a mountain. In the side of the mountain was a large but well hidden cave. She felt a powerful presence inside that cave. No matter how much she resisted she found herself being pulled into the cave. Awaiting her inside was a dragon, his intelligent eyes pierced through her, seeing everything about her, even her most precious secrets. Finally, he spoke, his voice rumbling through the cave.

"Long have I watched you, scion of heroes. Your time is coming."

"What do you want, beast?" The venom in her voice was apparent, yet the dragon only seemed amused at her response.

"I seek nothing from you, but you seek your place in this world. Find the one with the midnight eyes."

"I don't take orders from a monster!"

"No, not yet, but you learn to trust me in time."

At that point Jenassa woke up. Sigrid was cooking breakfast and Alvor and Dorthe were nowhere to be seen. Sigrid noticed Jenassa rising out of bed and motioned for her to sit at the table.

"Jayson already left?" Jenassa asked. Sigrid nodded in response.

"Earlier this morning, here, have something to eat." Jenassa ate her food in silence, preoccupied by the dragon's words. He had only appeared to her one other time when she was a small child. No one had believed her when she said that a dragon had saved her from nix hounds. As time went by she had forgotten the incident, but visions began to appear to her afterwards. Most of them never made sense and she ignored them. Others were so frightful she never forgot them. After she finished breakfast she decided to find the bandit stash they had found a map for. The chest was easy to find, hidden in the hollow of a fallen tree. In the chest was a handsome sum of gold and jewels, and a shiny steel sword. She decided to keep the sword to replace her old iron one. She went back to the village and found the trader and walked right into a heated argument.

"Well one of us has to do something!" A woman argued with the man behind the counter.

"No! No theatrics and no thief chasing! And that's the end of it!" The woman stormed to a seat near the fire. The man then noticed Jenassa standing at the doorway and smiled apologetically. "Sorry you had to hear that. We had a little break-in last night." Jenassa nodded and walked up to the counter and sold the goods. As the trader counted the last of the coin, she decided to inquire about the robbery.

"What did the thief steal?" She asked innocently. The merchant frowned visibly at the question.

"An ornament of solid gold in the shape of a dragon claw, nothing else." Jenassa smelled a job opportunity.

"I could get the claw back for you." The merchant looked up at the dark elf, hope shining in his eyes.

"You could? I have some coin coming in from my last shipment! It's yours if you get my claw back.

"Done." She stated flatly.

"Good, if you're going to get those thieves, you need to go to Bleak Falls Barrow, northwest of town."

"This is your plan Lucan?" The woman asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Yes, so you don't have to go, do you?" He responded, matching her sarcasm.

"Well, I think your friend here needs a guide."

"What! No… I…" Lucan threw his hands up in defeat. "Oh by the eight! Fine! But only to the edge of town!" The woman smiled in triumph and led Jenassa outside.

"Don't mind my pig-headed brother; he can be such a child sometimes." Jenassa said nothing but smiled to herself, she knew the type. As they walked, the woman, Camilla, pointed out the barrow. It looked large in the distance on the mountain near the town. "Just follow the path up the mountain and you'll reach it. You know, now that I think, Lucian never did say where he got the claw."

When they reached the edge of the town Jenassa thanked her guide and headed up the mountain. As she neared the top an ancient tower came into view. She quickly hid behind a tree then peeked out from her hiding place. She saw one bandit outside the tower leaning against a tree, while another wandered in and out of the tower. She waited until the one bandit's back was turned before she coolly launched an arrow at the other bandit. He let out a short cry of pain before slumping to the ground. The second bandit rushed out to see what had happened, only to be shot himself. Carefully she walked to the tower, shouldering her bow and drawing her sword. When she entered the tower her instincts immediately told her to duck. As she did a warhammer rushed past her head, barely missing her, but slamming into the wall. The bandit shouted in pain as he hands stung from the blow. It would be the last sound he made when Jenassa plunged her sword into his chest. At the top of the tower she found a chest with a small amount of gold in it, which she took. She continued up the mountain and was soon greeted by the massive barrow. Instinctively she pulled out her bow. An arrow sailed by, imbedding harmlessly in the ground. Within seconds she saw the shooter and fired her own arrow, only hers didn't miss. As the bandit crumpled to the ground three more bandits charged her from the barrow. One fell with an arrow sprouting from his chest. Jenassa dropped her bow and drew her sword and a dagger she always carried with her. She blocked the first bandit's attack and plunged her dagger in his gut. She jumped backwards, avoiding the second bandit's hasty strike which cost him his head. After retrieving her bow she entered the barrow. The two bandits guarding the inner room never saw what hit them. She noticed several dead bandits lying around along with half-a-dozen skeever corpes. She pressed onward, slaying a few skeevers of her own as she went. Soon she reached an open room where she immediately ducked behind some rubble. A bandit was walking up to a lever in the center of the room. As she watched he pulled the lever back. Her elvish ears picked up a quiet clicking sound before dozen of small darts sailed through the air, killing the bandit. Not wanting to end up like the dumb bandit, she observed her surroundings. Above the closed gate were 2 symbols and another on the ground where it had fallen from its spot. To her left were three pillars that appeared movable.

"Some people are so stupid." She thought aloud. It took some effort, but she eventually managed to move the pillars so the correct symbols were facing out. "Snake, snake, whale." Confidently she pulled the lever and the gate opened. She pressed onward. A feeling of unease began to creep into her, then, she heard a voice.

"Is… is someone there? Hroki? Tor? I'm over here!" Gripping her sword, she rushed forward, and then stopped dead in her tracks. Covering the door into the next room was a thck coating of spider webs. Hesitantly, she cut through the webs, entering a room full of webs. Hanging in the doorway on the other side of the room, a dark elf was trapped in the webs. As Jenassa stepped forward, a shadow fell over the center of the room. Jenassa froze as icy fear clenched around of fear.

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**3 Years Prior**

She had been exploring one of the many caves that populated the landscape. The adventure hadn't gone well, half delirious with hunger and covered in bruises and cuts, she ran straight into an underground den of spider webs. The more she tried to escape the more she trapped herself. Within moments she was completely stuck. Her struggling signaled the denizens of the cave that prey had been caught. Dozens of spiders closed in all around her, a scream lept from her throat as one prepared to sink its fangs into the elf. Suddenly a firebolt slammed into the spider, sending it sailing across the cave. Before the other spiders could see who was attacking them the ground around them erupted into flames, killing them instantly. A hooded figure entered the room. After checking to make sure all the spiders were dead, he cut Jenassa down.

"Who are you? How did you find me?" She asked. Under the hood, only the man's mouth was visible, but his golden skin made it obvious he was a high elf, though he was unusually short for a high elf.

"A little bird told me you were here." His voice made him sound like he was 18. "Actually, he was little larger then… oh never mind, let's get you out of here." The high elf led her out of the cave safely, she turned to thank her rescuer but when she did he wasn't there. The only evidence that he had was a set of footprints that abruptly ended at a small creek nearby.

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Ever since that day, nothing scared her more than large spiders. This particular spider was much larger than the ones she had faced that day. She was truly the queen of the barrow. She closed in on her prey, her eight eyes examining the she-elf. A shout caused the spider to turn its attention away from her prey. A flaming torch slammed into the spiders face, it reeled back and screeched in pain. It glared at the intruder that dare attack it, an intruder that Jenassa recognized. In that moment she found her voice again.

"Jayson?" He said nothing but stood between her and the spider, whose fangs were now clicking venomously. Suddenly, the spider surged forward at its attacker, intent on tearing him limb from limb. Jayson rolled to the side, dodging the furocius attack. He slashed at one of the arachnids legs, cutting it off. Screeching in pain, the spider tried to knock down the nord and pin it to the ground, but he proved too quick. As Jenassa watched a presence entered her mind. She didn't know why, but she recognized it as the dragon.

'Fool, dunmer!' he shouted in her mind. 'Must he save you again for a second time? Fight!' The harsh words angered her, her blood began to boil in rage. With a shout she charged at the spider cutting at its legs. The spider was surprised at the elf's sudden attacks. At began to crawl back to avoid the onslaught. Jenassa charged with all the more fury, lunging forward, plunging her sword into the spiders head. With one last cry the spider fell dead, never more to haunt those ruins.

"Are you okay?" Jayson asked Jenassa as she pulled her sword out of the spider.

"I'm fine." She stated coldly. She was angry, angry at herself for having to be saved again. No matter where she went it always seemed that someone had to save her. She was supposed to be a mercenary, a warrior, not a damsel in distress. Jayson frowned at her cold response, but said nothing. The two victors then turned their attention to the dark elf, still hanging from his webbed prison.

"You did it! You killed it! Now cut me down before anything else shows up!" The elf pleaded.

"Where's the claw?" Jenassa demanded.

"Yes! The claw! I know how it works! Cut me down and I'll show you! You won't believe the power the nords have stored in here!" Neither trusted him, but they cut him down all the same. As soon as he was free he bolted deeper into the ruins, as fast as his legs could carry him, laughing at them the entire time. The two tired combatants couldn't keep up with him, but soon a scream filled the barrow. Both froze at the sound.

"What was that?" Jenassa asked. Jayson chuckled.

"That idiot ran into a trap, I bet." The two moved forward, more cautiously this time. Bodies of long dead nords lined the hallway, unnerving them all the more. They entered a burial chamber and straight into four walking corpses. "Draugr!" Jayson cursed. "That idiot didn't run into a trap! He woke the dead up with his stupid laughing!" A short skirmished ensued, but the draugr were no match for the pair. When the fight had ended Jenassa found the dunmer's corpse and took the claw and the man's journal. She quickly skimmed through it, not much was of any use to her, except for the last line he wrote.

"'The answer is in the palm of your hand.'" She read aloud. Jayson took the claw and looked it over. On the palm of the claw were three symbols, plainly visible.

"Bear, moth, owl." He said, reading the symbols. Jenassa shrugged her shoulders and leaned against a nearby pillar.

"Simple enough, but let's rest a bit before we go any deeper. There's probably more draugr about. Jayson didn't argue, but sat down and began cleaning his blade. After a moment's silence Jenassa's curiosity got the better of her. "How did you find me?" Since his eyes were completely black, she couldn't be sure, but she was fairly certain he rolled his eyes.

"Wasn't that hard, after breakfast in Whiterun I returned to Riverwood, only to find you left. The trader said that he had hired you to return his claw. Since I needed to come here anyway, I followed you."

"Why did you need to come here?"

"The jarl hired me to find some dragonstone, and you still owe me my share of the money from the loot we collected."

"Oh, right." She pulled out her coin purse out counted his share. She had gotten around 1,000 septims from the loot, so his share came to 500. She handed him his half and he nodded his thanks. "Let's get going, I'm rested enough." She stated. Jayson gave her a curious look but followed silently. She guessed what he was probably thinking. She no longer needed to be here, she had what she needed. Why was she still pressing forward? Honestly, she didn't feel inclined to return to Riverwood just yet. She wanted to know what was in this ruin. Also, she didn't want to part company with Jayson. The dragon in her dreams said, 'seek the one with the midnight eyes,' and that was obviously Jayson. Another reason poked at the back of her mind, but she quickly dismissed it as ludicrous. With that on her mind, they delved deeper into the barrow.

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The cloaked man cursed himself. He had slept so soundly last night that he had missed the pair the next morning. Thankfully, he had a contact in Riverwood. He walked into the city just as a detachment of guards from Whiterun arrived. Curious, he approached one.

"Why the sudden deployment of guards?" He asked.

"Jarl's orders. Some man came to the palace this morning, said he survived the attack at Helgen. Also said that Riverwood called for help. Irileth sent us. That's about all there is."

"Thank you for your time." He left the guard and headed to the trader. When he entered Lucan saw him, but said nothing. The man looked around to make sure Camilla wasn't around before he approached the counter.

"When he ascended..." He said to Lucan.

"... the eight became nine." Lucan replied. The two men thumped each other on the shoulders good naturedly. The cloaked man pulled back his hood, revealing his face. The man had brown hair with eyes to match. He was perhaps in his early 30's. "What brings you here, Marc?"

"Information, Lucan. Two people came here last night, do you know where they went?" Lucan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"A dark elf came here this morning to sell some junk. Ended up hiring her to retrieve my golden claw."

"I was wondering where that was." Marc, noted.

"Bit of a break-in, but never mind. Alvor came in recently to buy some supplies. he said that Hadvar had come into town last night, along with a dunmer called Jenassa and a nord named Jayson. He also said Jayson had rushed to Whiterun to get soldiers from the jarl. Hope that helps."

"Indeed it does, thank you, you've been most helpful my old friend." Marc dropped a few coins on the counter. "Next time I happen by, I'll buy you a drink at the inn."

"I look forward to it." Marc walked back outside and flipped his hood back into place. Then he made his way to the city of Whiterun.

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**A/N: Thanks for joining me again my loyal readers! I hope you're beginning to get curious about these new characters. What's going on? Who is this strange cloaked and the hooded high elf? And what of the dragon? And Lucan's connection to it all? And what's Jennassa's history? And Jayson's? Want to find out? Want me to tell you? Well too bad, you'll just have to keep reading. Remember, I love your feedback. Keep 'liking' and reviewing. It's the only way I can get better. And the only way I know if you like the story.**


	5. A Dragon's Call Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All credit to Bethesda**

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**Fus**

Jayson was no expert on woman, but it didn't take a deep thinker to figure out Jenassa was in a foul mood. She spoke even less then she usually did, which wasn't much to begin with. He wondered if it was something he had done that had ticked her off. For the time being, he decided to focus on the dilemma at hand. The ruins were crawling with draugr and traps; one couldn't go more than a few steps without encountering another obstacle.

"Whatever's at the end of this better be worth it." He grumbled aloud. Jenassa made no comment but nodded in agreement. More of the same met them as they made their way through the seemingly endless burial chambers. As they wandered through several undead awoke from there centuries of sleep just to try and kill them. Jenassa managed to quickly dispatch her opponents, but when she turned to Jayson he was dueling a draugr that seemed a little stronger than the rest. Jayson's strikes also seemed slower and he seemed to have trouble blocking the draugr's strikes. She rushed to his aid, but not before the draugr cut Jayson deeply in the leg. He cried and stumbled back, tripping over a corpse. The draugr shouted in triumph.

"Sovangarde saraan!" It raised his axe for the final blow, only to be stopped by Jenassa, who tackled the walking corpse, driving her dagger into its skull. She rose to her feet, dusting herself off as she did. Jayson tried to use his right arm to lift himself up, but pain shot through both his arm and leg. He cursed audibly and fell back to the ground. Jenassa rushed to his side.

"I'm a terrible nord," he grumbled jokingly as she poured a healing potion on the cut on his leg. "to let this scratch keep me down. He twitched as her hands touched his bare skin. "You have cold hands." He complained. She gave him a charming smile, and then suddenly poked him his arm. "Ow!" He shouted before he could stop himself. Her suspicions confirmed, she removed the battered armor on his right arm, revealing a deep cut. Her eyes widened at the color of the skin around the injury, which was a violent shade of blue. "Just flesh wound." He explained. "The big spider got a lucky bite on me, it's nothing."

"Nothing?" Jenassa's built up anger suddenly exploded. "That 'flesh wound' is poisoned you s'wit!"

"Not the first time I've been bit by an oversized tarantula, it goes away after awhile." Her anger was unabated.

"You were nearly killed! Your stubborn, stupid nord pride nearly got you killed by dumb walking corpse, you n'wah!" Jayson was shocked at her outburst. He opened his mouth to defend himself but clamped it shut and hung his head like a child that's been rebuked by his parents.

"You're right, I'm sorry, I should've taken care of it immediately." Jenassa's anger deflated completely. Of all the nords she had met, most were extremely proud and unlikely to apologize for anything. They were even less likely to stoop so low as to apologize to a 'grey skin', as the nords called the dunmer with distaste. But here he had just done and had been doing the impossible; he was treating her as an equal, not an inferior. Jayson's voice snapped her out of her moment of shock. "The antidote is in my pack." She retrieved the antidote and poured it into the injury. Jayson winced in pain as the liquid poured into his veins. The effect was immediate. The discolored skin changed to its original color as the poison was flushed from his bloodstream. While Jenassa finished dressing the wound Jayson found himself staring into her face. He remembered what his mother told him about dark elves.

_'In many respects, they are like nords: proud, independent, and mistrusting of strangers, but ones trust and loyalty will last several lifetimes.'_

He forced himself to tear his eyes away before she noticed. He doubted she would be very happy to find out he had feeling for her. She didn't strike him as the kind who would care for a love-struck fool. Once she finished tending the wound he placed his armor back on and rose to his feet. He felt no pain this time. He flexed his arm, it was perfect. He motioned to her to follow him.

"Let's go." They continued in silence, not a word between them. They exited the room only to enter a larger one. Water flowed through the center, a coffin on the other side burst open, a draugr charged them recklessly. In two swings Jayson put it to rest, permanently. He stepped over the body and knelt down over the water. He scooped some with his hand, sniffed it, and then drank. "It's clean, straight from the mountain." Jenassa nodded and knelt down beside him, drinking her fill. When Jayson finished he rose and wiped his mouth of stray water. Jenassa was still drinking so he decided to investigate the nearby area. A chest was nearby so he opened it. A few coins lay at the bottom, he scooped up the paltry sum and placed it in his coin purse. He whirled at the sound of ancient machinery. Jenassa had pulled a lever near a small gate which caused it to open. He walked up to her and they pressed onward. The water they drank came from beyond the gate then into the depths of the mountain. They followed the path till it led them to another open room. A large door was on the other side, but guarding the door was yet another draugr with a fearsome war axe. Seeing them, it charged forward, swinging wildly. One should note that brute force alone doesn't trump speed and skill. Jayson kept it distracted while Jenassa got behind it and shoved her sword through it. Without a word they decided to rest for a moment. Jayson would be the first to break the quiet.

"Did I do something to offend you? You're quiet. Well, more than usual." Jenassa answered in one word without even looking at him.

"No."

"Then why the silent treatment?" Jenassa sighed and looked up at him.

"It's not you, it's just… never mind. It's nothing." It was easy to tell that Jayson wasn't satisfied with the answer he got, but he decided not to pry. After they had sufficient rest, they passed through the doors, and into the inner sanctum.

* * *

An Altmer wandered the plains of Whiterun with seemingly no purpose in mind. He stopped to pick a nirnroot from beside a pond. After examining it critically, he stashed it in his satchel. He looked up at the sun with distaste and pulled his hood further over his face. He stooped over the pond and stood silent and still, like a statue. Soon, a fish swam too close to the shore where he stood. His arm shot out faster than a blink, electricity surged from the high elf into the fish, killing it. He pulled the fish out of the water then stuck a stick through its mouth. Holding the shish kabobed fish in one hand, he summoned fire with the other and roasted the fish. Once done, he tore into the fish.

"Hmmm... could use a pinch of fire salt." He mused aloud.

* * *

The adventuring pair was so sick of ancient ruins that they could just throw up. More and more of the same: more draugr, more traps, it never seemed to end. Finally, just as Jayson thought he might go insane, they reached a hall. At the end of it was a strange door, but Jayson stared at the walls. On the walls were pictures with writing from long dead language. He ran his fingers across the ancient script.

"What secrets do you hold?" He asked. Of course, the wall said nothing, but Jenassa did.

"If you're quiet done gawking at rocks let's figure out the door." Jayson rolled his eyes, no appreciation for history. They approached the door and examined it carefully. In the center was a spot where the claw could fit in, much like a key. Around it were three movable rings, each with a symbol on it. Jenassa looked at the claw and read the symbols. "Bear, moth, owl."

"Simple enough." Jayson said as he began to rotate the rings until they matched the symbols on the claw. Jenassa placed the claw into the slot and turned it. The door immediately came to life. The rings whirled then the door moaned downward, opening the way into the innermost of the barrow. Cautiously, they proceeded into an open cave like area. At the far end of the room a chest, sarcophagus, and a wall stood proudly, untouched for generations.

"That's quite a sight." Jenassa remarked. Jayson rubbed the side of his head.

"Voices.. Chanting in my head." He mumbled. His sword hung loosely in his hand.

"Jayson? Come on! Let's see what the nords left.." Suddenly, the sarcophagus burst open, revealing it's undead denizen.

"Aav Dilon!"

"..behind. Here we go again!" Jenassa grumbled as it she moved in its direction. Jayson followed her, his sword at the ready. Was it her imagination, or was the sword glowing red? Before she could contemplate it further the draugr launched a volley of ice spike spells at them. Jenassa managed to roll out of the way of the blasts. Jayson summoned a ward, nullifying the bolt launched at him. While Jenassa drew out her bow Jayson launched his own barrage of fire bolts. As he and the draugr exchanged shots Jayson yelled to Jenassa.

"I'll keep him distracted, shoot him!" She nodded and quickly launched two arrows in rapid succession. The first missed bit the second imbedded in the draugr's side. It turned to face her, raising its hand for another shot. Before it could a fire volt from Jayson smashed into its face, causing it to stumble back. It turned back towards Jayson, ticked. It straightened itself and spoke.

"Fus..." Jenassa reached for another arrow but her quiver was empty. Knowing what was about to happen, Jayson summoned all his magicka and poured it into his ward. "Ro da!" Blue energy leapt from the draugr's mouth, straight towards Jayson. The ward shattered immideatly, hardly stalling the assault on it. Jayson flew back several yards before finally stopping. Believing one foe defeated the draugr turned its attention to Jenassa, who drew her sword and attacked. This draugr was stronger then anything else they had faced in this escapade. It easily blocked her attacks then disarmed her. The undead wrapped its fingers around Jenassa's throat. It spoke in a raspy voice. "Dir!" Then it screamed in pain when Jenassa plunged a dagger into its arm, forcing it to drop her. A glowing red blade sprouted from its chest, killing it.

"You first." Jayson muttered as he pulled his sword out of the corpse. He then knelt down next to Jenassa, who was still nursing her injured throat. He pulled out a healing potion and handed it to her. She grabbed it and drank half of it in one gulp, despite its bad taste. She could feel it working in her throat, healing the bruising that the draugr had inflicted. It caused a tickling sensation in her throat that caused her to cough violently. Against his better judgement Jayson placed a comforting arm around her shoulders as she fought to regain control of herself. He removed his arm when the fit ceased. He stood up and offered a hand to help her up. She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. For a brief moment, they stared into each other's eyes, their faces just inches apart. No matter how either tried, they couldn't tear their eyes away from the other. Jayson felt a powerful urge to kiss her but managed to restrain himself.

"Well, um, let's if this was all worth it," He said awkwardly as he let go of her hand that he was still holding.

"Oh, yes, of course." She agreed. She was glad that she had dark skin, Jayson couldn't see that her face was beet red. Jayson first investigated the dead draugr. Thankfully, the dragon stone was on the draugr. While Jayson investigated the draugr Jenassa opened the chest. Along with a handsome sum of gold and loot at the bottom of the chest was an orb. When she picked it up a voice echoed through the cave.

"A new hand touches the beacon." She whirled around to find the source of the voice. Jayson seemed not to hear it as he examined the dragon stone. "Listen! Hear me and obey! A foul darkness has seeped into my temple. A darkness that you will destroy." Jenassa wanted to say something smart but held back, knowing it wouldn't be good for her health to insult an obvious deadra. "Return by beacon to mount Kilkreath and I will make you an instrument of my cleansing light." With the final word said the voice went silent. Jenassa stared at the orb in disbelief. She had never been directly contacted by a deadra before, and stories of such contact were few and far between. As she stepped back from the chest and stuffed the orb into her pocket, she turned her attention to Jayson, who was standing directly in front of the stone wall. She walked up to the wall and noticed that there was strange script written on it.

"I wonder what it says." She thought aloud. Jayson turned towards her. Instead of his normal completely black eyes, they had changed into a reptillian style, almost, dragonlike.

"Here lies The Guardian keeper of the Dragonstone and a force of eternal rage and darkness." He blinked several times, his eyes returned to normal.

"What was that?" Jenassa asked, surprised.

"I don't know... I just..." His confused look deepened. "Fus... Force."

"Yes, well, I think there's something in the air that's effecting you, let's go. I thought I saw the exit this way."

"Yah, sure." Jayson was lost deep in thought as they headed on. Further on a pullable chain revealed a hidden exit from the barrow. Unfortunately, the exit popped right out on a small ledge on the side of the mountain. It took some work but they eventually scaled down the mountain. The entire walk to Riverwood was silent, neither said anything. Jenassa did notice though that Jayson's sword was no longer glowing. When they reached Riverwood Jayson stepped in the inn for a drink and meal while Jenassa stopped at the trader first. She laid the claw on the counter without a word. Lucan smiled with delight, looking like he might break into a dance at any moment.

"You found it! Ha! Strange, it seems smaller then I remember. Thank you! I'm going to put this back where it belongs. I'll never forget this! You've done a great thing for me and my sister." Happily, he took the claw and handed her 500 gold.

"You'll always be welcome here." Camilla told Jenassa as she left. Jenassa allowed herself a small smile.

"Thanks." She left the trader and walked to the tavern, hungry for food. The sun was high in the sky and she hadn't eaten since that morning. After she bought her food she sat down next to Jayson, who was already wolfing down his food while studying the dragonstone.

"Where will you go now?"He asked her between bites.

"Whiterun." She replied, "then Solitude by carriage." She mentally chided herself for revealing her plans. In her profession, it was never a good idea. Thankfully, Jayson didn't pry any further. When they finished they began their journey to Whiterun. As they walked Jenassa decided to ask a question that had been bugging her for a while. "Why is your last name 'Halfelven?'" Jayson laughed.

"My mother is an elf, why else?" Jenassa couldn't argue with that. Her eyes wandered to his sword. "Why doesn't your sword have a…"

"Smoke."

"Pardon?" Jayson pointed in the direction of a black column of smoke.

"Over there, that would be in the plains near Whiterun wouldn't it?"

"Yes." Jayson began to feel uneasy, though he couldn't place why. He began to pick up his pace until he was sprinting toward the rising smoke. Jenassa had trouble keeping up. "Wait!" She yelled to him but he didn't listen. He closed in on the ruins of the western watchtower, the decimation was terrible. Jayson drew his sword as a roar tore through the landscape. A shadow fell over the plains as a familiar shape dove from the sky, straight at Jayson.

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**A/N: Enjoy the chapter? I hope so. I also hope you're beginning to get curious about each separate character's past and such. Rest assured, it will be revealed at one point. Remember to hit the like button and shoot me a review.**

**Important! Please Read!:**** Beginning when the next chapter is posted, I will be accepting questions and answer submissions. These will be used for a special 'Ask ?' segment at the end of the chapters****(Sorry, I can't reveal the complete name of it just yet)****. I'm giving you, my loyal and first readers, a chance to submit yours early. Please send the questions to my inbox, not the reviews. Those who send theirs now will have them considered first. These questions can be about the story or just plain fun and silly questions having nothing to do with it. Have fun with it, and most important, send them to my inbox, not the review page.**

**Translations:**

**S'wit and N'wah: Dark elf insults that I decline to translate here.**

**Aav Dilon: Dragonic for 'Join dead' or more loosely translated 'Join the dead'**

**Dir: Dragonic for 'Die!'**

**Sovangarde saraan: Dragonic for 'Sovangarde await' or 'Sovangarde awaits'**


	6. A Dragon's Call Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own the elder scrolls, but I do own my ideas so hands off!**

* * *

**Daal do Dovah**

Jayson barely managed to dodge the dragon's claws as it swooped down at him. Jayson and Jenassa drew their bows, ready to fight. The dragon roared his challenge. "I am Mirmulnir! Hear my lovaas and despair!" The dragon dove towards them again, opening his jaws to release a deadly stream of flame. "Yol!" The pair managed to dodge behind rubble to avoid the deadly attack. When he passed by they launched their arrows. Jenassa had refilled her quiver with arrows from the nearby body of a guard. The dragon's speed proved too much, easily evading the tiny projectiles. They ducked behind cover again when the Mirmulnir dove at them once more releasing another deadly payload of flames. Desperate, Jayson tore his horn from his belt. It had been his father's horn, and his father's before him, and so on. At a young age his father had trained him in its use.

_The harder you blow the stronger the blast. Your enemies will cower. Your friends will come._

Without a moment's hesitation he brought the horn to his lips and blew for all he was worth. The sound was heard as far was Rorikstead, the sound of the ancient horn.

* * *

Marc cursed his misfortune as he stomped through the lower districts of Whiterun. He had found out that Jayson, the man he was searching for, had gone to Bleak Falls, same as the dark elf called Jenassa. If he had only gone there in the first place it would have saved him a great deal of trouble. Making his way towards the tavern for a drink he ran into Irileth, who was gathering all the guards she could muster. He managed to stop long enough to question why.

"A dragon's been sighted near the western watchtower. I'm gathering what I can before-" A horn blast echoed through Whiterun, causing everyone to look towards the source, the burning watchtower. Marc, Irileth, and her detachment charged out of the city, praying that they weren't too late.

* * *

The Altmer had just finished eating when he heard the horn. He looked towards the smoke rising east of where he was with a look of undying boredom. Calmly, he wiped traces of food from around his mouth and without any hint of urgency, began walking towards the western watchtower of Whiterun.

* * *

Mirmulnir made the draugr at the barrow look like mudcrabs in comparison. He was fast, strong, and intelligent. He laughed at their seemingly pathetic attempts to battle him.

"I forgot what sport you joor can be." Jenassa once more found herself out of arrows and Jayson was on his last as Mirmulnir made another pass Jayson notched his arrow to the string and fired. The arrow missed its intended target of the dragon's head but struck the joint of his left wing. The dragon roared in pain and flew past, struggling to stay in the air. He came back around but this time landed near Jayson. The ground shook and groaned in protest as the behemoth landed. The brave duo struggled to stay on their feet. Seeing his chance Mirmulnir lunged at Jayson, intent on tearing him apart with his teeth, only to reel back at the bite of steel on his snout. He glared venomously at Jayson, unrestrained hate in his eyes. Jayson's sword glowed violently. The dragon roared once again, releasing a deadly jet of flame. Jayson was too close, there was no time to dodge the blast, and he was caught right in it. Jenassa screamed his name in horror.

"Jayson!" The flame cleared and her horror was replaced with shock. There stood Jayson, armor badly burnt, but otherwise not seriously harmed, but looking very unhappy (to put it mildly). Mirmulnir was as surprised as she was, but she recovered first. With the speed of the elves she charged forward and swung at the dragon's wing. He roared in pain but shoved her backwards with his wing. Shouting turned Mirmulnir's attention towards Whiterun. The detachment guards had arrived on the scene, unleashing a accurate volley of arrows. The pain was unbearable, but if he was going to die, he was going to take as many as he could with him. Mirmulnir once more turned his attention towards Jayson, who shouted a battle cry and charged. The dragon tried to sink his teeth into him but was once met with cold steel. As he reeled back in pain Jayson, acting on some strange instinct, leapt onto the dragon's head. Try as he might, the dragon could not throw him off. Again and again Jayson drove his sword into the dragon. Mirmulnir's efforts grew weaker with each cut. Finally, Jayson jumped from the dragon's head to the ground, his back to the dragon. As the dragon slowly died, he could not understand how one mortal could defeat him. As Jayson turned towards the dragon, Mirmulnir noticed his eyes for the first time. Then, they changed into reptilian form, almost like a… Then, as the dragon's soul began to leave his body he saw the man's soul clearly, the soul of a dragon. Realization hit him too late as his body burned away and his soul was dragged towards the man. Mirmulnir roared in horror and struggled fiercely. The plains echoed with his cry.

"Dovahkiin?! No!"

As his soul was absorbed Jayson swatted at it in a panic, not knowing what was happening. His eyes bulged when he saw the dragon's skeleton in front of him. Then, an odd feeling came over him, like a cool breeze on a hot day. He puzzled over it until a single thought came to him.

"Fus." He mumbled, then he said it again, louder. "Fus." Lead by an awakened instinct, he shouted it to the heavens. "Fus!" Blue energy shot from his mouth towards the sky. Everyone stood there, unsure of what they had just witnessed. No one noticed that Marc had disappeared. If they had noticed, they would see him sprinting across the plains of Whiterun, heading westward as fast as his legs would carry him.

* * *

The hooded Altmer had seen the whole battle, watching it like it was nothing more than a common bar brawl. When Jayson absorbed the dragon's sword, he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, this day just got a bit interesting.

* * *

Miles away in Hammerfell, in a mountain in the Hnes Rax region an ancient red dragon raised his head, feeling an unfamiliar voice on the wind. He tasted the voice, then smiled (as much as a dragon can smile). It had begun, Alduin's days were numbered. Soon, the tyrant would be overthrown and all dragonkind could do as they saw fit. Slowly, the dragon walked to the deepest part of his extensive cave that he called home. There, in a well kept nest lay a dragon egg. The egg was red and about a foot and a half high. With unusual tenderness he nudged it to a more comfortable position in the nest. His voice was gentle, with a hint of sadness in it.

"Hi fent kos Krilahkaal, for do hin monah, kodaav nii eyvir. To hi fen neh koraav zey, mindok Zu'u fen lingraav." The egg stirred slightly at his words. The old dovah did what passed for smile among his kind and turned towards the exit. Once he stood outside of his home he pondered what he had foreseen. Long had he known the future events now set in motion, but many details still eluded him. The dragonborn's face, for instance, was hidden from him with the exception of his eyes. The face of the vul fahliil though, was clear to him, as was her role in these events. Suddenly he took a deep breath and roared as loud as he could for the first time in many an age. He beat his wings and launched into the air, roaring his cry for all to hear. "Hon dii lovaas! Aal pah do vus mindok tol Gutlokmiin klov wah kein!"

* * *

The walk to Dragonsreach was quiet, the pair too lost in thought to speak. Jayson stared straight ahead, trying to fathom this new revelation. Jenassa stared at him with newfound respect and awe. When she was a child she loved to read about the many legends in the history of Tamriel, and now one stood before her. She had also witnessed the undying courage of the man before her. Nearly single-handedly he had faced the dragon himself and slew it. Voices suddenly called out, echoing a single word.

"Dovahkiin!" Everyone looked towards the source of the call; the Throat of the World, the largest mountain in all of Skyrim and in Tamriel. Jayson stared at the mountain with a strange look of longing. Quickly he regained his composure and they entered the palace. The entire court was in an uproar, everyone trying to input their opinion at the same time. When Jayson and Jenassa entered though, the room went silent as they stared at the weary pair.

"What happened at the watchtower?" Balgruuf asked, leaning forward. "was the dragon there?"

"Aye, the watchtower was destroyed, but we managed to kill the dragon." Jayson replied. A collective sigh permeated through the room, but no one looked more relieved than the jarl, who leaned back in his chair.

"Good, but there must have been more than that." Jayson took a deep breath before answering.

"When the dragon died, I absorbed some sort of power from it." You could hear a leaf drop on the floor the room was so quiet. At this point Jayson pulled out the dragonstone and handed it to Farengar, who took it away to his lab to study.

"So it's true, the Greybeards were summoning you."

"The Greybeards?" Jayson asked, not understanding. Jenassa then spoke up.

"Masters of the way of the voice. They live in seclusion in High Hrothgar, a monastary at the top of the Throat of the World."

"What do they want with me?" Balgruuf answered this time.

"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the way of the voice. If you truly have the gift, then they can help teach you." As Balgruuf spoke, no one noticed Jenassa leave.

Hrongar, Balgruuf's brother spoke next. "Didn't you hear the thundering sound as you returned? That was the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar. This hasn't happened in centuries at least! Not since Tiber Septim was called himself, while he was still Talos of Atmora.

Avenicci spoke up. "I still don't see any evidence of how any of this nord nonsense has anything to do with our friend here." His observation angered Hrongar

"Nord nonsense? Why you puffed up ignorant… These are our sacred traditions that go back to founding of the first empire!" Balgruuf halted the argument, before it could become more heated.

"Hrongar, don't be so hard on Avenicci. I'm still having trouble believing this myself." He turned his attention back to Jayson, a smile edging across his face. "You've done me and this city a great service. As my right as jarl, I hereby pronounce you Thane of Whiterun. I assign Lydia as your housecarl and give you the axe of Whiterun, as a symbol of your station. You will be allowed to purchase property in city and the guards will be notified of your title." The court nodded with approval. Jayson was so shocked he stepped back. A guard handed him a polished dwarven axe, the runes one it told him it was enchanted.

"I… I am honored." He managed to gasp out.

"It is the least I can do." The jarl frowned. "Where is your dunmer friend?"

Jayson looked around, just now noticing that Jenassa had disappeared. He shrugged his shoulders, though he could probably guess where she was. The jarl whispered something to a nearby guard who rushed to do his bidding.

"I don't know how to reward your friend, but I ask you to bring her this gift of gold, for her service in the battle." The guard returned and handed Jayson a purse of gold. Jayson bowed and excused himself from the court. Balgruuf nodded. "May the gods watch over your battles, friend."

"And yours as well, my jarl." He replied. As he headed for the door a woman in steel armor stopped him before he left the palace.

"The jarl has assigned me as your housecarl, it is an honor to serve you my thane."

"Thane," Jayson said, as if tasting the word on his tongue. "that's going to take some getting used to." He smiled and handed her the axe he had been given. "I have my own sword, so I think this axe will serve you better then it would me." She thanked him as she took it. "What is your name?"

"Lydia." She answered.

"A name to be proud of. Come, I'm going to stop at the local in for a drink before I go on another crazy misadventure."

* * *

Immediately when Jenassa left the palace she headed straight to the inn. After buying food and drink he settled herself in a corner and ate silently, planning her next move. She needed to go to Solitude in order to get to Mt. Kilkreath. She could hire a carriage but she hated carriages, considering them too restrictive. She could buy a horse but that would cost her most of her gold, which she was loathe to part with. "What a dilemma." she mumbled.

"Perhaps, but one easily solved." She jumped at the sound of the familiar voice in her head. She looked around, desperately searching for the source. In front of her was a dragon. No, it wasn't really there. She could see straight through it and no one else noticed it, but that didn't diminish it terrifying appearance. She gripped the handle of her sword out of instinct.

"What do you want?" She whispered, to low for anyone else to hear. Her voice held contempt and anger. She was sick of this thing messing with her mind.

"You've asked that before and the answer is still the same."

"Who are you? And why can't you just leave me alone?"

The dragon chuckled at her anger. "Such ungratefulness, you should be thankful, for if I hadn't have intervened, you would have died on multiple occasions. As for your other question... I am Gutlokmiin. I doubt that means anything to you, but your dragonborn friend knows, you can ask him. As for the problem at hand. A vertically challenged acquaintance of yours will help you." The dragon's form wavered, then disappeared completely. At that exact moment a hooded figure entered the inn. She swore she had seen him before. The man bought some mead and sat down across from her. His golden skin told her that he was Altmer, though he was oddly short.

"Who are you?" She demanded. The man pulled back his hood and leaned back in his chair lazily. He didn't look very old, maybe not even an adult.

"You'd think I'd be more memorable, seeing that I saved your life two years ago." The stranger mused aloud. Jenassa stood up in surprise.

"You! You're the one who saved me from the spiders!"

"Who else? Name's Camenon." Jenassa sat down, mind running a mile a minute. "So, where you heading?"

"Solitude." She replied automaticlly.

"Excellent, I happen to be heading there as well. I think we can help each other out here-" He was interrupted when Jayson and Lydia entered. Jayson saw them then handed Lydia several coins.

"Buy your thane and yourself drinks." As she went to buy the drinks Jayson pulled up a chair and sat down next to them. He nodded to Camenon. "Who's this?"

"Camenon." Jenassa told him. "Who's the one with you?" At that moment Lydia arrived with the two drinks, which she handed one to Jayson, who took a deep swig.

"I'm Lydia, his new housecarl. You must be Jenassa. He told me about you as we walked here."

"One and the same." After they got introduction all cleared up Camenon brought back the original topic.

"Now, as I was saying, I am willing to buy horses in exchange for riding along with you people."

"Wait." Jenassa interrupted. "How did you know I needed a horse?"

"A little bird told me."

"Is this the same little bird that told you where to find me two years ago?"

"Yes."

"And the same little bird that just told me a vertically challenged acquaintance was going to help me?"

"He called me what?!" He stood up indignantly. "If I ever find that lousy…" Jayson waved his hand, silencing the elf's tirade.

"Nevermind that." Jayson told him. "Why are you so eager to follow us and who's this other person?"

"My associate wishes to remain anonymous for now. As for me, I like to be where things happen and lots of stuff is going to happen around you people." Jayson studied Camenon closely for several minutes before finally nodding.

"Fine, but I already have a horse and I'll pay for my housecarl's."

"Fair enough, now shall we be going?" Camenon said as he rose from his seat. "The day's not getting any younger." The group rose from their seats and left the inn, heading for the stables outside of Whiterun.

"Thane, huh?" Jenassa asked Jayson as they walked.

"Ya, was a surprise to me too. By the way.." Jayson pulled out the bag of money the jarl had given him. "This is from the jarl." He handed the money to Jenassa, who pocketed it. Outside the gates of Whiterun was were the band's adventures would truly begin.

* * *

**It's time for…. Ask Camenon!**

The Altmer sat in his chair, rummaging through a pile of endless letters.

"Hmm… let's see here." He pulled out one and looked it over. He shook his head, balled it up, then threw it away. "Nope, can't read that one, this fanfic is rated T, not M." He picked up another one and read it aloud.

_Dear sir,_

_Why do elves have pointy ears?_

_Sincerely,_

_Pr0d1gy104_

Camenon opened his mouth to answer, then closed it. He thought about it for a minute. He rubbed his chin and his face contorted into several expression, several of which could scare a giant.

"You know, I've never really thought about it before. I guess because pointy ears are hot." He laid back in his chair, absentmindedly rubbing his own pointy ears. He pulled out another letter read it

_Why is the sky blue?_

_from,_

_Nobody_

"Well Nobody it's like this…" He then went into a long speech about reflections and science and stuff that nobody cares about. "... and for all you people that didn't understand a word of that, I will give you a simple version. Because it isn't orange!"

* * *

******A/N: Hope you enjoyed that chapter and the Ask Camenon section. Remember, pm me your questions and they may appear in the next segment. Don't forget to 'Like' and 'Review' as well!**

* * *

**Daal do Dovah: Return of Dragons**

**Lovaas: Voice**

**Joor: Mortal**

**Hi fent kos Krilahkaal, for do hin monah, kodaav nii eyvir. To hi fen neh koraav zey, mindok Zu'u fen lingraav: You shall be brave-hunter-champion, the name of your mother, bear it well. Though you will never see me, know I will be watching.**

**Hon dii lovaas!Aal pah do vus mindok tol Gutlokmiin klov wah kein!: Hear my voice! May all of nirn know that far-sky-eye heads to war!**

**vul fahliil: dark elf**

**Hrongar: Jarl's Brother, acts as an advisor**

**Lydia: Housecarl to the Dovahkiin, typical nordic female warrior**

**Camenon: High elf mage with a shadowy past. Sensitive about his height. He's about as high as a wood elf.**


End file.
